


Turning V

by padawanhilary, Telesilla



Series: Turning [5]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Animal Transformation, Community: wtf27, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-05
Updated: 2006-07-05
Packaged: 2017-10-05 14:37:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padawanhilary/pseuds/padawanhilary, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telesilla/pseuds/Telesilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Orlando and Sean have found a place guarding a baron's horses, but Sean is sure it's just a pause in Orlando's journey.  Things get even more complicated when the dragon recognizes Sean as his mate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Turning V

Orlando can feel it happening again; he'd feel it even if he were not watching the moon every night, counting the days and then the hours. Weeks passed, then months, and now it is late spring; Sean has seen the change come and go enough now that he can count the days himself and be aware. Even in this idyllic place with steady work and beauty all around them, sun and tall grass and trees around the meadow, Orlando can feel that shadow drawing closer.

"It's nearly time," he murmurs, taking up a stick and breaking it into small, sharp pieces. He sighs; now that there is someone by his side, the loneliness is gone, but he longs that much more for the curse to finish with him and be gone.

Over the past few months, Sean has gotten used to the change, even noticed that Orlando becomes moody before hand. Now as he looks at Orlando, he feels that same helpless urge to fix things that led him into this situation in the first place.

Not that it's a bad situation, guarding a herd of expensive horses for a local baron. They'd gotten the job because they both looked competent and because Sean looked fierce enough to scare off the boldest horse thief. It pays well and they have a fairly nice cottage to live in and ... Sean is happy.

It's a startling thing for him, this happiness. Particularly because he has yet to share his feelings with Orlando, even as those feelings have grown into something he knows is love. And so the happiness is balanced against Sean's own fear that someday Orlando will leave, that this is just a stopping place for the young man, a place to rest while he figures out what to do with himself.

_And if that's all I have to give him,_ Sean tells himself yet again. _Then that's what I give him._

"Good thing I picked up that old cow," Sean says, his voice practical. On his way into the nearby town to buy supplies, Sean had found a farmer about to slaughter and butcher a milk cow who had finally gone dry. The man had looked at him as if he were mad when Sean offered more than enough coin to replace the cow, but he'd taken it and now the old girl was tied behind the cottage, waiting for Orlando's next change.

"Yes," Orlando murmurs, stomach churning at the thought. He is grateful for Sean's practicality, for his plain forthrightness, but it does not make the changing any easier. He looks up at Sean. "Thank you," he says quietly. "You have been so good to me."

"You're a good working partner," Sean says, shrugging a little. "And a good man. I don't mind helping."

It is the same answer Orlando has received for every thanks: a reminder of Orlando's own goodness as a friend, a workmate, a person. _Nothing more._ This time, the disappointment pools in Orlando's stomach even as he nods. He never knows what he expected to hear, but he knows now that he wishes for something more. Something..._bigger._

"We should make sure the horses are all corralled," Sean says. He grins at Orlando. "Don't want you scaring them all half to death later."

That gives Orlando a little smile. "Or eating a stray. That cow's not very appealing."

"Next time I'll buy you a couple of big fat pigs," Sean says, heading to where their own horses are tethered. "Does it make a difference? When you're in that form, I mean. Do you notice what you're eating?"

"It makes no difference." Orlando shrugs. "I come back to, and my belly is full -- and upset." He shudders. "The blood."

"It's natural," Sean says as they mount up. "As a dragon, that's just how you eat."

"As a man, I'm disgusted by it," Orlando says, patting the neck of his horse as he situates himself. "But there's no help for it."

"The beasts don't suffer," Sean says, and then they're too busy rounding up the horses -- beautiful animals; the baron is famous for his stock -- to converse much.

Settling the herd into the corral is not particularly quick work, but it's easy enough, and by dusk, Orlando is tired. He would love nothing better than to climb into Sean's pallet and let himself get fucked into oblivion -- but that can't happen on this night.

Drawing in a breath, Orlando swings down from his horse and hands her off to Sean. It feels more urgent this time; he feels as though it might come faster, somehow. "I need to move quickly," he murmurs. He strips out of his tunic and boots as fast as he can. "It feels different this time."

"All right," Sean says, making short work of tying the horses. "Is there anything..." He lets his voice trail off. There's nothing he can do and he's learned that. "Take care," he says. "I'll be here, waiting for you."

Orlando nods, turning to Sean to look at him, to take in as much as he can before he goes again. When he turns to go, he finds he has to swallow hard around the lump in his throat. _Waiting for me._ Perhaps that says enough for now.

Sean sighs as Orlando vanishes from view. It hurts not to be able to do more for the young man; Sean feels helpless and it's never been a feeling he liked. There's nothing to do though and he returns to the cottage to lead the cow out. As he stakes her in the middle of the meadow, he wonders why Orlando is always so hungry right after his change. It doesn't matter if he's had a large meal before hand nor not, either; he'd shaken his head last time when Sean offered him food before the change.

_At least I can help afterwards,_ Sean tells himself, feeling a little guilty for looking forward to Orlando's return. Once Orlando's settled back into human form, he always wants Sean to fuck him, wants Sean to hold him down and reassure him that Sean won't let him go.

_And I won't, until he's ready._

Orlando wants to turn back, and some strange urging makes him wish Sean could come with him. But that's ridiculous; no man would want to watch a transformation like this one.

He can feel it coming, too, bearing down like a fever setting in. _Please, not until I'm into the woods..._

_Someday,_ Sean thinks, _I'd like to see him transform._ He knows it's got to be horrible for Orlando, he's heard the screams before and now he winces as they start up again. They're human at first, the sound of a man in pain, and then they get deeper and more angry, becoming the sounds of an enraged animal. _I can't even imagine what that's like...._

The dragon stretches his neck once he's fully formed again, preening briefly before pushing up and breaking through the trees. His human is here somewhere; the scent of him is less evident than just the knowledge that he seems to be wherever the dragon is of late. He circles the air, searching, making questioning grunts into the air.

Sean knows better than to stand right next to the cow, and so he takes up a position at what he considers a safe distance, waiting for the dragon to find the meadow. He loves the sight of Orlando in this form; the dragon is easily as beautiful as the man, and Sean only wishes he could communicate with this side of Orlando. _Not that I do such a good job with him in human form._

There. The vivid red dragon spots the cow, and then immediately after, Sean. He lets out a low, bellowing growl, lighting next to the cow but ignoring her for the moment. He approaches Sean slowly, wings down, head ducked.

"Orlando," Sean says, bowing just a little. He's never sure how much Orlando understands, although he never seems to remember much.

There is that name again; the dragon's human uses it often. Shuffling closer, the dragon nudges the man's shoulder with his snout, then stretches out his neck to half-curl himself around the human affectionately.

Surprised -- Orlando's never gotten this close to him and relaxed like this -- Sean hesitantly strokes the smooth scaled shoulder. The dragon smells oddly spicy, as if he'd flown through incense somehow and Sean wonders if that's part of the magic.

Letting out a soft, heavy rumble, the dragon shifts his wings and settles closer. He can feel the surprise radiating from the human, but this feels natural enough to the dragon; this man feeds him and is always careful. He does not throw things, brandish weapons or try to frighten the dragon off. That's worth trust after all these months.

Encouraged, Sean continues to stroke the dragon with more confidence. "You're beautiful, you know," he says. "I know this is a burden and I wish you didn't have to bear it, but you are as gorgeous in this form as you are when you're a man."

The dragon wishes he could understand. The man's voice is pleasant, however useless the words are. It makes no difference. The dragon pulls back, connection made, and nudges the man's shoulder once more before turning to address the cow.

In dragon form, Orlando's a neat enough eater but he's still eating a whole cow, raw, and Sean backs away several paces to give him room to do it. His kills are always swift; in this case the poor old cow has no idea what hit it before she's dead.

The cow is tough and sinewy, but the dragon eats ravenously, digging into the meat and gulping it down almost birdlike. It takes a while -- large prey usually does -- but then the dragon is licking his chops and grooming, sitting on his haunches to clean away the stray blood.

He looks so much like a self-satisfied cat that Sean laughs. "Aren't you dainty?" he says, moving in closer and resting a hand on the dragon's flank.

Swinging his head around to look at the man, the dragon makes the rumbling noise again, pleased. He nudges the man's chest, pushing at it with his snout and shuffling his feet and wings. He likes the attention.

"Oh, you really are just a great big cat," Sean says, running his hand up the side of the dragon's muzzle to scratch behind one of the fan-like ears.

Eyes slitting, the dragon lets out another deeply satisfied noise. He tilts toward the man's hand, then brings his tail around to draw the man up against him.

It's oddly comfortable to lean against the big dragon -- who is, Sean notices, quite warm -- and just pet him. Sean quickly becomes accustomed to the little whuffing noises Orlando makes when Sean finds a slightly patchy spot just below one ear.

The dragon twitches his ears, then hunches down, assuming a position on his belly, legs tucked up under him. Folded up just so, he isn't much bigger than the man, and this way, he can keep the man close to him with his tail. That is much better than sleeping alone, and the dragon feels comfortable -- as he would if he'd found a flight to come home to.

It's a slightly cooler night than Sean would normally like to spend out of doors, but the dragon is warm and so Sean settles down in the curl of Orlando's tail, petting whatever parts of the dragon he can reach.

"I must say," Sean says, "my life's been a great deal more interesting since you stumbled into it. It's odd ... having someone to work with, live with like this. Feels good ... but I don't know. It's not you," he adds even though he knows Orlando can't understand him. In fact the very fact that Orlando can't understand him is why he feels safe speaking like this.

"The last time I fell in love, I lost everything," he explains. "My name, my family, the woman...." He looks into the dragon's big jewel-like eye. "Can't blame me for being a little nervous, can you? Particularly since you turn into a dragon once a month." He chuckles. "Then again so do most women I've known."

Watching the man and listening to him ramble on is quickly becoming one of the dragon's favorite pastimes. He drops his head into the man's lap and lets his eyes close as his human amuses himself.

He lets out a soft snort, nuzzling in against the man's belly, and is very quickly asleep.

"Wouldn't you know," Sean says with a little laugh. "I tell my sad tale of woe to you and you fall asleep." He bends and kisses the dragon carefully on the top of the head. "I love you Orlando."

And then he curls up and, resting his head against Orlando's broad shoulder, falls asleep.

* * * *

The dragon wakes just before dawn. The sky is lightening, and with the damp, cool smell of dew is something else, something heavier. It is less a scent than an understanding: the human is still dozing, but his body is awake. He is _aroused_, and the dragon feels an instinct stirring in him that is new to him. Still, it is an instinct, and an old one. He has never had a mate before, but he realizes in his quiet, animalistic way that his mate is right here, and already stirring.

Making the rumbling noise, he pushes his snout between Sean's legs, scenting the erection there and nuzzling it.

"What?!" Sean shouts, startled out of sleep. He stares up at the dragon in shock. "Leave that alone," he says, as if speaking to an overeager dog.

That tone is not something the dragon wants to hear from his human right now, and he uncoils himself from around the man and drags him closer with one big clawed foot, draping a foreleg across the man's middle to pin him down as he investigates further.

"Orlando ... don't," Sean says, actually a little nervous now. He's seen what the dragon's teeth can do and he'd really rather not have them anywhere near his privates.

Snorting, the dragon nuzzles, and then gives a short, experimental lick. The leggings taste odd and old, but very faintly, he can taste the arousal beneath the layer. He begins to lick steadily, as though he might somehow manage to work his way through them that way.

Although he finds the whole situation more than a little unnerving, Sean can't help noticing that he's still hard and getting harder. "Please don't do ... whatever it is you're doing."

The dragon is persistent, though, and soon, he's trying to burrow into the man's leggings at the waist. His head is too broad, but his intentions are clear, and he looks at his human impatiently, snorting again.

"No," Sean says, but he knows his voice doesn't have near the authority that it did a few minutes ago.

More words. The dragon ignores them, as he usually does, and bites at the waist of the trousers. He gives one sharp shake of his head and tears them jaggedly, not enough, but a start. There is something about this that is dimly familiar, buried somewhere in the back of his mind with the human's scent, but the dragon is too distracted now to find it.

"Gods, Orlando, what are you doing?!" Sean stares at the tear in his second best leather leggings and then glares up at the dragon.

In response, the dragon only pins the man down more firmly and nudges his way into the open leggings. Now, he can taste properly, and he lets out one of his grumbling purrs before wrapping his split tongue around the shaft of the erection.

This time Sean's "Gods!" is more moan than anything else. He knows this is insane, that in this form Orlando doesn't have any real control and that Orlando could easily tear his prick off, and yet he can't help thrusting up his hips and groaning.

The dragon slides his tongue off, shifting a bit and settling in. His human is making more pleasing noises, now, and the mating ritual has begun in earnest. He begins to lick again, long, long tongue slithering up and down and around the human's cock.

"This isn't ... Gods ... Orlando," Sean moans. The dragon's tongue is both rough and slick and it feels incredible against Sean's prick. He's lost now, helpless and beyond caring.

There. The human is acting as a mate should, now, and the dragon simply keeps licking, tasting the tip of his erection, the top of one thigh, his belly.

Groaning loudly, Sean clutches at the dragon's limb as he presses his cock against that amazing tongue. "Orlando," he gasps. "I ... I can't ... oh Gods ... please."

The dragon only keeps licking. That word, over and over, _Orlando_, the dragon realizes must be a name. His name. He likes the way it comes out right now, hungry and gasping and pleasured.

By the time Sean comes with a loud shout, he's beyond words and any concern he had about being licked so intimately by a dragon. And after, he's too busy trying to catch his breath to think about it much.

Somehow unsurprised by the spurting, hot orgasm, the dragon licks and licks until it's gone, and then abruptly he can sense that the human's arousal is over. He rests his head on the man's belly, perfectly content to go back to sleep again.

Sean waits until the dragon seems to be asleep and then tries to extricate himself from under the dragon's head. "I really need a wash and some breakfast," he mutters.

Letting out a deep sigh, the dragon lolls off of his person and stretches out in the morning sun. One big paw flexes, and the talons dig into the earth. He is dreaming of his human, at least it seems to be his human, only the being is a dragon. One leg kicks listlessly, and then he goes still again.

Glaring at the dragon, Sean doesn't even bother with the bucket at the well or the wash basin in the cabin. Still trying not to think of what just happened, Sean makes for the stream that's on the other side of the meadow. Stripping off his clothes, including the half-ruined leggings, he wades into the ice cold water and washes briskly, wishing he could forget that he just let a dragon bring him off.

"It's still Orlando," he says, crossing the meadow again in nothing but his shirt. "Still my lover." It helps, but not that much and he once more puts it out of his head as he glances at the sleeping dragon.

Once he's gotten his usual morning meal of bread and cheese, he gathers up his repair kit and the pair of leggings and returns to sit with the dragon in the sun. "Look what you did," he mutters. "Now I've got to sew through leather.

Stirring tiredly, the dragon opens his eyes. The human is talking again, and this time, he sounds neither pleased and affectionate nor lustful. Digging claws into the ground again, the dragon arches, flinging his neck and tail out in a long, lazy stretch.

"What am I gonna do with you?" Sean says, reaching out and stroking Orlando's muzzle. Not expecting an answer, he turns his attention to his meal and his repairs. _He could have hurt me, but he didn't and right now, that's good enough for me._

_-tbc-_

**Author's Note:**

> OK, I do want to warn people about the fact that the dragon puts the moves on Sean in this chapter. Although this technically could be read as bestiality, we went ahead with it because Orlando is, in fact, sentient in this form. Also, I think the subtitle for this fic should be "The one where they're gay cowboys and Orlando turns into a dragon." Damn, we should have had them eat pudding.


End file.
